


When all else falls apart

by RZR_SK8



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Betrayal, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Order 66
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:46:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23640064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RZR_SK8/pseuds/RZR_SK8
Summary: Some clones feel like their generals can be made to see the truth. Commander Cody is one of them.OrObi-Wan falls and Cody is there to catch him.
Relationships: 212th Attack Battalion & Obi-Wan Kenobi, CC-2224 | Cody & Obi-Wan Kenobi, CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi, CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano, Codywan if you squint - Relationship, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 73
Kudos: 358





	1. Their General

CC-2224 is a good soldier. As a good soldier he obeys. He follows orders.  
Cody however, can't quite bring himself to obey. Not because he doesn't want to, but because he's convinced his General could never turn traitor.  
He instructs his men to set their blasters to stun as they descend to recover their fallen General.

Obi-wan is in the middle of dragging himself out of the pool of water he fell into when Cody and the 212th surround him, blasters pointed at their own General.  
"Cody- what- what is the meaning of this?"  
He asks, wide blue eyes looking frantically from trooper to trooper, before settling back on his commander.

"The Jedi have betrayed the republic and are trying for a hostile takeover, sir. We know you're not part of this so please, put down your lightsaber and come with us."  
Cody's voice is firm and commanding while also holding a soothing quality to it, as if he was dealing with a frightened animal.  
Obi-wan tries to step closer to his commander, but the rest of the clones make it clear that for his own good he better not move.

It's Cody who steps closer, getting right up into his General's personal space.  
"Lightsaber, sir."  
He holds out a hand, so close to Obi-wan as he is that he could touch him if he so wished.  
"You're not a traitor, sir. We know it. But we need to protect you from those who don't. Please sir, let us protect you."

Obi-wan feels his resolve crumbling under that voice..He feels the deaths of so many of his brothers and sisters, he feels the darkness, rising, threatening to overwhelm him...and then there's Cody, loyal, strong and kind. He shines like a beacon as Obi-wan's world falls apart.

A gloved hand cups his face, while its thumb cleans Obi-wan from the tears that are making their way across his pale skin.  
He leans into the touch, desperate for something to soothe the agonising pain that threatens to break him apart.

"It's alright sir, we got you."  
Cody's other hand inches closer to Obi-wan's own, his fingers ghosting alongside his General's before he delicately wraps them around the man's lightsaber. He doesn't try to retrieve the weapon immediately. Instead he caresses his General's face, watching, almost impassively as the man breaks down. He feels sad for his general, inducted and brainwashed as he was by the Jedi he of course mourned those, that, unlike him, did not deserve their mercy.  
"You'd never betray us. Just like we'd never betray you, sir. We'll always be with you."  
Cody would feel guilty for using everything he'd learned about his general against him, but this is for him. What they're doing, they're doing it for their general, to help him, to save him.  
"I'll always be with you." And his general is too overwhelmed to fight him as he carefully takes the Jedi's weapon from his hand.

As soon as he steps away from him his general crumbles, falling on his knees like a puppet who's strings had been cut. For a moment it seems like he'll stay there, eyes unfocused and face carefully placed in a blank mask. But then, his general twitches, more and more while small whimpers and sobs escape the shaking figure on the ground.

"Stun him."  
He orders, and soon after Kenobi is unconscious on the floor.  
He knows the man will be far less agreeable when he'll wake up, but Cody is prepared. He knows what he has to do to keep his general safe and while the man won't like it, he'll be greatful later, he knows.  
He reaches for him comm before speaking.  
"Target secured, we'll be bringing him back to Coruscant as soon as possible."


	2. The apprentice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-wan learns more, but not enough.

Obi-wan wakes with a gasp and an alarming feeling of emptiness.  
It's with great effort that he manages to keep his eyes open, although squinting from the harsh light that stabs right into his brain. It takes him a few more moments to realise he's not alone in the room and worse, he's bound.  
As soon as his vision finally starts adjusting to the light he finally realises just who is In the room with him.  
"Anakin?"  
His former padawan looks up at the sound of his name and Obi-wan's heart almost breaks at the sight of him. His eyes are puffy and red, like he's been crying for a long time. His hair is in disarray and overall he looks like he hasn't slept in days.  
Just what had happened?  
" _Master_ "  
Oh and doesn't that just make Obi-wan want to wrap his arms around him and soothe all his pains like he'd done so many times before. That thought in particular reminds him of his current bound state and he can't help but ask: "Anakin...What happened? Why am i imprisoned?"

Anakin feels a new wave of grief mixed in with joy as soon as Obi-wan addresses him. His former master looks so confused and pained...and the Jedi turned Sith can feel through their bond just how much he's hurting for his sake. Oh Master.... He thinks. He doesn't deserve this. Obi-wan isn't like the rest of the council.  
"The Jedi have betrayed the Republic. Masters Mace Windu, Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar and Saesee Tiin have made an attempt on the Chancellor's life, hadn't I been there to protect him he would have perished." He tries to to keep his voice even. The last things he wants is to give Obi-wan more reasons to panic.  
"All the Jedi known to be part of this treacherous scheme have been killed."  
He can feel the other's shock through the force, followed soon after by waves of grief, which his former Master immediately tries to reel in.  
"It's ok to mourn them, they were your family...but they've betrayed us, they've betrayed you." How much digging did he have to do just to find out Obi-wan's weak spots. All those little cracks in the man's life. Things that he had never wanted to share with him. But Anakin can't really blame him, he's more angry at the Order on Obi-wan's behalf than anything else.  
"You shouldn't be surprised, Master. The Order has betrayed you before, haven't they?"

No. No...he couldn't- he couldn't know about-  
He feels shame rising through him, soon followed by waves of self loathing.  
He looks up again at his former student, who seems- angry?

"What they did to you. It wasn't right. You shouldn't feel ashamed for that, Obi-wan!"  
How dare they?? How dare they do this to his Master??  
He almost regrets Master Windu's death, if only because now he doesn't have the opportunity to torture the man for the treatment him and his precious council had inflicted on both Obi-wan and himself.

"Anakin...What about the others? What about Ahsoka?"  
He asks in a subtle effort to take Anakin's attention from the current topic. Even cut off from the force as he is, he can still recognise the anger bubbling inside his former padawan.  
"Those who's alliance hasn't been confirmed have been taken captive and like you, will be briefed on the situation and interrogated."  
His voice is still hard, but Obi-wan can pinpoint the moment where his entire posture relaxes just slightly.  
"Ahsoka is...fine. We don't have her in custody. She's not associated with the Order and thus considered innocent. I....I don't know where she is... she might have run after the first Jedi were captured. I..I hope I'll be able to reunite with her. I...I need what's left of my family with me-"  
He stops, and Obi-wan can see his hands clenching tightly into fists.  
"Anakin..?"  
The younger man trembles, and he covers his face to hide the tears gathering in his eyes and himself. A strangled sob leaves his lips and it's with all that's left of his self control that he doesn't break down crying.  
"Padme is dead."  
He manages to croak out and Obi-wan is hit by a fresh wave of grief, so powerful that it threatens to overwhelm him.  
"Oh Anakin..." He doesn't really know what else to say, he feels like he's intruding on something he has no part in. He knows how much his former apprentice cared for the Senator, despite the small twinge of dispapproval that is ingrained into him at the idea of his former Padawan being involved, even if he did already suspect. He's glad that Anakin still has the Chancellor to help him through this in a way that Obi-wan is just not capable of.  
"Once...once you're part of the Empire"  
Anakin starts, and that shocks Obi-wan. What Empire? What- what happened since he was first knocked out?  
"Will you help me raise my children?"  
His thoughts stop altogether and he stares at Anakin with one of the most open expressions the man had ever shown him.

Anakin watches as the gears in his former Master's mind screech to a halt.  
"Padme and I...we...she was pregnant." It still hurts to say her name, but having Obi-Wan near helps ease the rage and grief threatening to swallow him up.  
"Please master...I can't...I can't do this alone"  
He begs, feeling like his younger self, missing his mother and thrust in a completely new environment, clinging to Obi-wan like a lifeline.  
"Of- of course I'll help you Anakin"  
He sounds...pained, tired, on the verge of tears. Anakin can understand that.  
"Thank you Master."

Obi-wan sees and feels Anakin putting himself back together, pulling a cold mask back onto his face. His eyes almost look yellow.  
"Now. As you're still under investigation, I can't free you. You will be released only after your interrogation and eventual integration in the Empire will be complete."  
Obi-wan's body in response tightens and tenses at Anakin's words, shoving down all of his feelings in exchange for the now much more needed survival instincts.  
"Anakin wait-"  
"It's alright Master."  
The other interrupts, what's supposed to be a reassuring smile tugging at his lips.  
It only puts Obi-wan more on edge.  
"Everything will be alright."  
And with that the young man turns his back to his former Master and leaves the room, locking Obi-wan inside with just his thoughts to keep him company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the end I decided to continue this work  
> Also I never wrote these characters before so I'm stumbling through this all XD


	3. Lost in a New World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka and Obi-wan both try to wrap their head about the new situation they're facing.

"Execute Order 66"  
That's what Rex hears, and he feels himself slipping.  
 _Good soldiers follow orders, good soldiers follow orders, good soldiers follow-_  
"Rex? I heard...Anakin- there's something wrong-"  
He turns to look at her, his Jedi.  
She's not a traitor, he knows that.   
The Order has betrayed her, just like it had betrayed the Republic.   
But Ahsoka, _his_ Ahsoka, she could never do that.  
"Rex?"   
He's staring at her, he realises and had done so for at least a full minute. He notices the blasters pointed at her, her unease. He signals the men to stand down.  
"We've received news, orders. The Jedi have betrayed the Republic."  
He watches as her eyes widen, but he spots immediately the dawning realisation in her eyes.  
"You suspected, didn't you?"  
He tries to step closer to her, but she flinches back, a flash of fear in her eyes. He hates that he's the cause of that fear.

"The Jedi...."  
She tries, but the words get stuck in her throat, she can't stop looking at Rex, so familiar yet so alien to her.  
"They- they wanted to take power from the Chancellor but- but it was- he-"  
But she doesn't understand- because the Chancellor is Anakin's friend, he has given her Master- her _brother_ , something that no one in the temple could have given him.  
"I need to speak to Anakin."  
She says, trying to make herself sound more sure, less afraid than she really is.  
"General Skywalker is currently occupied."  
He tells her and...she can't quite put her finger on it but he sounds...different, there's something not right.  
"I'd like to talk to Maul, then."  
Something....twists in his expression, like he'd just swallowed something particularly bitter, it's subtle, but she knows him well enough to be able to spot it.  
"He's set up for execution, Commander."  
Her eyes go wide and she can't help how her shoulders tense up.  
"E-execution?? Who authorised this?? We were supposed to deliver him alive!"

He can see her tense up, like her whole body is readying to jump at any sudden movement. He can see his men preparing to stun her but once again he signals them to stop. Their Commander is not their enemy, she's just confused and it's their job to debrief her on the situation.  
"Commander-"  
He tries, but she only gets more tense and he can see her fingers twitching, like she's about to grab her lightsabers, if only to give herself some sense of security. He knows her too well.   
"Ahsoka"  
He corrects himself, making himself look as open and harmless as he can.  
"This is a...difficult situation.."  
Fighting against his instinct to keep his weapons trained on her he puts them away, telling his men to do the same.  
"Tell me."  
He can feel her voice wavering even as she tries to make herself appear strong. She's scared, he realises. Even worse, she doesn't trust them. She looks and feels like a small animal cornered by predators. But he knows better, he knows that if she wanted, she could kill them all in a span of seconds. But she doesn't want to. She can't. Because she's _loyal_. It brings a smile on his face to know that his Jedi is not a traitor, that she's theirs. Not the Council's, not the Jedi's, but theirs. She belongs to the clones like they belong to her and that knowledge makes his chest swell with happiness.   
He thinks she senses the shift, because now she's looking at him with big blue eyes that are shining with unshed tears.  
"Rex what's going on?"  
She asks, her voice shaking almost as much as she is.   
He walks to her, hands raised halfway, away from his blasters. She doesn't flinch back this time and he hugs her tight against his chest.  
"We'll take care of you 'Soka"  
The tension slips completely from her body as she returns the hug. His men, he notices, also seem to relax visibly, almost as if her own tension had been pulling at them.  
"Come on, let's get somewhere private." 

* * *

He hears a faint hissing noise as the door to his cell slids open. He's expecting to be greeted once more by his former padawan. What he finds instead is much more painful.  
"Commander."   
He says, trying to keep in check the rolling waves of anger, grief and betrayal that are trying to crash through his shields. He opts for cold indifference. Not even gracing the clone with his amicable negotiator persona.  
He sees a a brief flash of hurt in those golden eyes he's so familiar with but it's quickly covered by a wall of steel and determination.  
"General."   
Cody gives him a slight nod before stepping into the room, followed by two other clones who at the moment Obi-wan can't identify.  
"We'll begin your interrogation, sir. If you have any questions however, you are free to ask."  
Obi-wan is silent for a moment, his mind running through all the things he wants to ask.  
"Anakin said something...about an Empire. What happened?"

Cody sighs softly, resisting the urge to run a hand over his face. Of course Skywalker hadn't debriefed his General. Cody should have been sent as soon as Obi-wan had awakened.  
"The Senate has agreed to concede power to Chancellor Palpatine to guide us to a new period of peace and prosperity after the carnage and destruction the Jedi and the Clone wars brought. Emperor Palpatine, to protect the galaxy from the threat of the Jedi has ordered for every Jedi to be secured and executed if determined a threat to the new empire."

His tone is levelled, almost flat, as if he's just reading another report. Like a machine.  
Obi-wan's insides churn unpleasantly and he looks at the clone with horrified and disbelieving eyes.  
"You can't....really believe that.. can you?"  
This- this isn't possible...this can't be happening.  
"It's the truth, General. We understand this can be difficult for you to believe, they were your family, you were raised to trust them. But you were used, like we were. You know that, don't you sir?"  
He feels himself pinned by those golden eyes, unable to look away as the man they belong to tears his world apart.  
"They used you, Obi-wan."  
He feels him murmur, closer than he'd been just moments before.  
"But we won't. We'll take care of you, we'll make you see."  
That voice, despite the horrible promises it holds, sounds so sweet to Obi-wan's ears.   
"It's going to be ok."  
He wants to break down and cry, he wants to lash out. But Cody is there, his golden eyes holding Obi-wan in place, his words, said in that impossibly tender voice, put dents into his shields, which he desperately tries to hold in place.  
He feels a prick at his skin and he manages to tear his gaze from Cody's to notice that one of the clones had injected him something.  
"What-" He tries, only to be silenced by Cody.  
"Shhh, it's ok sir. This will only help the interrogation run along more smoothly, helps you relax."  
Obi-wan shakes his head. He doesn't want this fake care- he doesn't want Cody, wonderful, kind Cody to be used against him like this. The room around him spins lightly as he shakes his head.  
"No..."   
He slurs, whatever they'd injected him with is acting _fast_ and he knows that soon he won't be able to keep more complicated thoughts running.  
"That's it sir, let go."  
He feels a hand carding through his hair and it takes all of his willpower not to relax as those fingers work on his head just the way he likes it.  
"Are you ready to answer our questions, sir?"  
He tries to shake his head, but the resulting motion just has him raise his head slightly only to fall back into Cody's waiting hand.   
"Alright, let's begin."


	4. Against the currents

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! I had a particular hard time writing this chapter and I might go back to edit it if I'm still not convinced. For now this is the version i liked most, hope you enjoy!

Cody watches as his Jedi tries to fight the drug coursing through his veins. It's useless, and Cody tells him as much. "This drug was developed in secret to be used against Sith and rogue force users, sir. There's no use fighting it."  
But his General has always been stubborn.  
He doesn't like doing this. It hurts him as much as it hurts Obi-wan, but he's only doing this for him. Everything Cody has done has always been for the Republic and his Jedi. Nothing really changed.  
He was both serving his new Empire and helping his Jedi.  
"Cody-"  
He's broken out of his musings by a soft sob, his name and there's something inside of him that is pounding angrily at his brain, demanding he free his general, that he stops.  
"General?"  
His General looks at him with those beautiful blue eyes, made so expressive and easy to read by the drug. Cody can't help to think him beautiful, breathtaking.  
He has always thought his General to be pretty, he thinks as he brings one of his hands to cup the man's face.  
Fiery red hair, intense blue-grey eyes, almost like steel yet so full of kindness and love. His heart aches at the sight and he feels his hands shaking lightly.  
"Cody...please.."  
Cody tries not to look into his General's eyes, caressing the man's cheek before going to play with his hair.  
So many years of brainwashing, conditioning and convictions drilled into his brain to be unravelled and undone.  
He's...He's helping his General, he repeats to himself even as he watches the man struggle weakly against his restraints.  
They're lucky the Emperor has provided them with a detailed history of Kenobi's past, plucked straight from the archives. It'll be much easier to help his General if he knows where to poke, where to remove pieces so that the entire structure comes crushing down.

It's hard to describe how he feels right now. Mainly, he thinks, it's like he's underwater. But that's not quite right.  
He can hear the clones' questions easily as they pierce through the fog in his head.  
It's like there's nothing else but him and the voices. He can't shield his mind, he can't stop himself from answering- He feels raw, exposed, vulnerable.  
It's so...tempting to let go..to give in and let himself sink down. To just give his commander anything he wants..  
His head is burning and aching with the effort he puts in resisting the drug. Instead of letting himself drown, a feeling that before he had never thought to be so comforting, so welcoming, he swims. He swims and he fights to stay afloat, to not let go of everything he believes in.  
It's so hard, so hard to keep fighting. He's so tired.  
He hears a fond, exasperated chuckle and his sight focuses enough to see Cody standing in front of him, arms crossed over his chest.  
"That's my General."  
The man sighs, and Obi-wan is painfully reminded if all those times Cody had to forcefully drag him away from his work just to get him to eat and sleep.  
"Stubborn."  
He grumbles, almost to himself and Obi-wan, with his shields in tatters can't stop the feeling of shame that's quickly trying to rise to the surface.  
Something must have shown on his face, because next thing he knows Cody's hand is back to cradling his face gently and a soft smile is pulling at his lips and a complicated look in his eyes he can't quite figure out in his current state.  
"Don't worry General, we have all the time to break you out of all those bad habits of yours."

* * *

Ahsoka is running. She still feels the pressure of Rex's hand on her arm.  
He'd gripped her arm, a pained expression on his face as he'd told her "Find him- Find Fives-"  
She'd been lucky to have felt a warning in the force just in time to push him away.  
Her eyes had fallen to his crumpled form on the floor before they'd moved to the hypo still clenched in his other hand. Very lucky.  
She'd looked back at him as he rose from the ground, his eyes colder than they had been before. "Commander." He had said, almost like he was ordering her to stay put. She hadn't given him time to do anything else. She ran.  
She's still thinking over his words as she runs through endless corridors, trying to avoid every passing trooper.  
Something is very wrong here and she's going to get to the bottom of it.


	5. Changes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka takes matters into her own hands. Sidious plots.

Chips. _Chips_ implanted in her men. _Her men._ Her brothers, her family, _hers hers hers-_  
She takes in a deep breath, trying to come down from the possessive train of thought she unwittingly dragged herself into. This...this isn't like her, she's never been like this. She'd struggled with attachment in the past, but never like this. It almost reminds her of-   
_Anakin._  
She tries not to let her thoughts spiral as she thinks of her Master, another one of her brothers. She can't think about him now, she needs to concentrate on the situation at hand.  
The chips. Her men trying to kill her.   
Except...They hadn't... capture her, yes, but not kill her.  
Did they want to execute her publicly? Interrogate her? No no that couldn't be it... Rex said that she wasn't considered a traitor due to her no longer being a Jedi, yet he'd tried to knock her out.  
She has to talk to him.

Rex doesn't understand a great deal of things at the moment. He had his Jedi right there, willing to come with him, compliant...Why did he try to tranq her? Why did he attack her in such a way?? And why did he mention Fives?   
He didn't mean to- but now his Jedi is running around the ship, suspicious and unsupervised, making his job to get her back to Coruscant so much harder.  
He reaches unconsciously to press with his fingers at his aching temples. Ever since his last communication with the Chancellor- with the _Emperor_ , his head has been on the verge of imploding.  
As soon as he gets his hands on his Jedi and has put her somewhere _safe_ and guarded he needs to figure out what the kriff is going on with his head. He can barely think as it is.  
His already scrambled thoughts are interrupted as he trips onto something, almost faceplanting on the floor. Fortunately he manages to catch himself just in time. He turns around, ready to scold whatever droid had run into him, because even while distracted and in pain Rex would've never tripped up on his own in such a way- he stops.  
That's R7, _Ahsoka's astromech._  
"Where is she?" He growls, clutching at his head as he glares down at the bucket of bolts at his feet. He needs to know where she is, _now._  
Instead of getting an answer from the droid it's a voice behind him that replies.  
"I'm right here."  
He whips around, maybe too fast from the way that his head spins soon after.  
There she is, brows furrowed, worry and guilt clear in those bright blue eyes. Guilt? Why would she-  
He doesn't even have time to completely formulate the thought as something prods him from behind, making his whole body tense as a shock of electricity travels through him.  
The last thing he sees is his Jedi rushing to catch him and then everything goes black.

* * *

To say that Sidious is not pleased is an understatement. He's furious.  
Year after year of careful planning and everything falls apart because of _clones_ of all things.  
Don't get him wrong, many of them still executed the order, but a great number still clinged to the idea of their Jedi's innocence despite the chips. He had...allowed those groups to _keep_ their Jedi, if only not to risk mutiny on their part. Thankfully the chips still kept them loyal and convinced that the Jedi as a whole were traitors.   
Despite himself he's incredibly curious, morbidly so, at how the Clones' mind had reacted to the order. Some of them, he notes with displeasure, had disappeared completely with their Jedi. The so called "Wolfpack" of the 104th Battalion and Depa Billaba's Battalion were among such cases.  
He was pleasantly surprised however by the 212th Battalion and 327th Star Corps, who had brought back their Jedi and had somehow gotten into their heads the idea that the only way to protect their Generals was to make sure that they were firmly on the side of the Empire. He's very interested in seeing whether they can actually..... _break_ , the Jedi. They're determined, he'll give them that.   
Unfortunately it's also that same determination that has put him in this particular situation.  
Anakin, while still distraught over his wife's death, had refused, along with the 501st to kill the younglings in the temple. They had, of course, killed or captured anyone who got in their way. But the stubborn Mandalorian genes that ran strong in the Clones wouldn't let them bring harm to the damned Jedi brats. Those who had resisted had simply been stunned and taken into custody. Sidious considered it a small mercy. If they could manage to condition the captured Jedi, he would be able to build a team of enforcers much sooner than he thought.  
He hadn't heard from commander Gree yet, but he didn't doubt the old green troll had survived order 66. He was probably on his way to Coruscant, the meddling fool.  
He needed to plan carefully. If he played his cards correctly this disaster could very much turn in his favour, after all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Obi-wan and Cody this chapter but I needed to fill in a bit with what's happening around them.  
> Also sorry for the wait- it's been a busy month 🙏🏻


End file.
